Truth-deductible Tax Language

April 19, 1995|By Red

Various Americans from time to time chronicle the violent crimes committed against the English language by politicians. William Lutz's Doublespeak and John Kohut's Stupid Government Tricks are two of the best sources.

In the Reagan administration, a tax increase moved from ''tax enhancement'' to ''revenue enhancement'' to ''tax-base broadening'' to ''tax-base erosion control'' to ''update the revenue mechanism.''

In the Clinton administration all government expenditures have become ''investments.'' As one wit observed, politicians' mangling of the language says more about their character than their grammar.